Bill Cosby, Donald Trump to Keep Their Stars on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Bill Cosby and Donald Trump will get to keep their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has been asked whether it will remove stars of both embattled public figures from the world-famous Walk of Fame, but the business development organization in charge of the iconic landmark said no.

In a statement obtained by TheWrap, Leron Gubler, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, said the group “has received inquiries asking whether we are planning to remove the stars of Donald Trump and Bill Cosby. The answer is no. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a registered historic landmark. Once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Because of this, we have never removed a star from the Walk.”

Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable and Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope asked for the removal of Cosby’s star in a letter addressed to the Chamber.

The letter was issued after revelations this week that Cosby admitted to obtaining Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to women with whom he wanted to have sex.

“Drugging and rape are serious crimes, and having a star on the Walk honoring Cosby after his admissions of these acts is a gross slap at the industry and the public,” Hutchinson and Ali wrote in the letter.

In its response, the Chamber quoted the late Johnny Grant, who chaired the Hollywood Walk of Fame Committee for many years, saying, “Stars are awarded for professional achievement to the world of entertainment and contributions to the community. A celebrity’s politics, philosophy, irrational behavior, outrageous remarks or anything like that have never been cause to remove a Walk of Fame star.”

Macy’s, NBC and Univision have since severed ties with the real estate mogul.

The Chamber’s statement reflects a lesser-known fact about the Walk of Fame: It’s the celebrities themselves — or in many cases, their fan clubs — who assume the cost of the installation, which requires a $30,000 application fee plus ceremony and party costs if approved.

15 Times Donald Trump Courted Controversy (Photos)

The U.S. Justice Department accused Trump of not renting to minority tenants in 1973.

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Trump was accused of dooming the fledgling U.S. Football League in 1984 when he insisted it go head to head with the NFL with a fall game schedule.

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Trump sparked a feud with Rosie O'Donnell in 2006, calling the comedian "disgusting" and "a slob," among other things

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In September 2010, Trump accused the imam of a proposed mosque near NYC's Ground Zero of using religion to bargain for a better real estate price.

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Joining the dubious "birther" movement, Trump fought to get President Obama to release his long-form birth certificate in April 2011.

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Trump earned the ire of environmentalists when he unveiled plans for a massive golf course in Scotland in July 2012.

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Trump upset gay rights groups when he compared gay marriage to golf in February 2013.

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In August 2013 Trump was the subject of a civil suit for allegedly false promises made to students of his Trump University.

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A new waterfront Chicago skyscraper opened in 2014 despite widespread complaints about the 20-foot-high sign bearing his name.

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Trump began a feud with Russell Brand after seeing the British comedian on a talk show and disliking what he saw.

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Trump minced no words when he tweeted about the "thugs" rioting in Baltimore in April 2015 following the death of an African American man in police custody.

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Announcing his bid for the GOP nomination in June 2015, Trump set off a media firestorm when he called Mexican immigrants criminals and "rapists."

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Trump reportedly paid actors $50 a head to attend his presidential announcement speech in June 2015.

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Billionaire’s recent public image problems are latest in long line of troubles

The U.S. Justice Department accused Trump of not renting to minority tenants in 1973.